Holding Onto Your Laptop

For Valentine’s Day this year I received a new laptop from my husband. Being the paranoid, always-prepared person I am I want to make sure that my brand spanking new laptop isn’t stolen. Or, at least do everything I can to prevent it from being stolen and have a backup plan. Granted, I’ve been using a laptop of some sort for the past 10 years or so, but it still doesn’t hurt to be careful.

Keep in mind that a laptop is stolen every 53 seconds (according to Safeware The Insurance Agency – 2004). Additionally, the FBI claims that 97% of stolen laptops are never recovered. The most common places your laptop would be stolen from are coffee shops, hotel rooms and your car. Losing information from your computer could be extremely detrimental to you, especially if you have all your work, pictures and other important files saved on there, as I do.

Should your laptop be taken from you, if you have a PC, use Computrace’s LoJack For Laptops. For Mac users, use Orbicule’s Undercover. With LoJack, once the software is installed your laptop it works silently behind the scenes to securely contact the monitoring center by sending your computer’s info (IP addresses, etc.). If it is stolen, you file a police report, and the location of your laptop can be tracked using any Internet connection. Computrace/LoJack’s recovery team then traces your laptop’s whereabouts and partners with local law enforcement to recover and return your laptop to you. Over 90% of laptops stolen with LoJack installed have been recovered. If your stolen laptop is not recovered within 30 days, your money will be refunded to you. The software is hidden and virtually tamperproof and works on desktop computers too.

Similar to LoJack, Undercover transmits network information about your Mac, including internal and external IP addresses and the router address to the recovery center. Once you report your laptop stolen, Undercover automatically starts taking screenshots of your computer so the thief’s identity will eventually be revealed when he/she is writing e-mail, chatting or surfing. If your laptop has an iSight camera built-in, it will start snapping pictures, making it even easier to identify the thief and his/her surroundings. In addition, if laptop recovery fails, Undercover’s ingenious backup plan simulates a hardware failure by making the screen darker until it becomes unusable, even if the Mac is offline. This should urge the thief to take it in to get repaired or sell it. When that happens, it can easily be detected. Following that, the reseller or purchaser of the stolen Mac will receive a message on the screen notifying them that the Mac has been stolen and a promise for a finder’s fee once it is returned. As with LoJack, there is a money back guarantee or if you’re not satisfied with it within 30 days, you’ll still get your money back.

To download LoJack for $49.99 (one-year license), go to www.lojackforlaptops.com. Undercover is available for $29.99 at www.orbicule.com/undercover.

Easy Desktop Navigation

Being a mostly Mac user, I’ve become used to the functionality and convenience of OS X’s Expose program and its ability to display an overview of all windows with a single key push or just hide everything that’s on your desktop. Not that I have anything to hide, but pushing that F11 button has come in handy for me several times. I’ve used it to clear everything off the desktop to get to something quickly and to conceal what I’m doing from nosy people looking over my shoulder.

TopDesk 1.4.1 from Otaku Software has given you the possibility for a Windows machine to mimic these same Expose-like functionalities. It gives you a quick and easy way to switch between applications. With a single key press, you can instantly view thumbnails of all open windows, display thumbnails of windows belonging to the current application, or hide all windows to quickly access the desktop. The thumbnails can be viewed in 2D and 3D views.

You can use the hot keys to navigate your way around. By default, F9 will tile all windows, including minimized windows, F9+Shift tiles all visible windows and F10 tiles all windows belonging to the current application. F11 hides all visible windows, which is my favorite function. Or if you wish you can personalize your keys.

TopDesk actions can also be activated by moving the mouse over a mouse hotspot. Each mouse hotspot can be assigned a different TopDesk action or be disabled. It can also be operated with floating buttons. These buttons float above all other applications and allow TopDesk actions to be activated by a single mouse or TabletPC pen. If you’re a dual (or multiple) monitor user, TopDesk is supported with it.

A side note: if you want to keep an ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) friend busy, this is the perfect thing to put on their computer, as I well learned when reviewing this software. It’ll keep ‘em occupied for hours.

Go to www.otakusoftware.com/topdesk to download TopDesk 1.4.1. It’s $9.95 to purchase or there’s a free 30-day trial version available.

Never Lock Yourself Out Again

I'm ashamed to admit it, and I swear I'm usually not one to do it, but yes, I locked myself out of the house recently. Um, four times within the past three months to be exact. I've either been buzzing off of too much Starbucks or really sleep deprived, or maybe a combination of both. Unfortunately there is no spare key hiding anywhere near the door, so I've had to wait for someone to come by to unlock it for me. Well, thanks to good ol' RFID (radio frequency identification) technology I won't have to worry about locking myself out again.

Although RFID has been around for awhile, the MyKey 2300 lock brings it down to a very useable and affordable consumer level that you can put on your door. With this lock, use the included cards or keyfobs to open your door instead of a key. If you don't have either of those with you, use the keypad to enter a PIN number. You will never need to call a locksmith or wait for someone to come home with a key again and your misplaced key or having to change your lockset will be a thing of the past. You can change your PIN and reprogram your RFID cards should you ever lose your keys or have them stolen. There is no need to change the lock out.

The MyKey 2300 is pickproof since it has no keyholes and comes standard with a night deadbolt function. It disables all external functions, allowing you to have a peaceful, worry-free sleep. It also has a built-in alarm that will most likely deter thieves at the door if it is forcefully entered. It is powered by four AA batteries and comes with eight RFID smart keys (four cards, two fobs and two tags). It features an automatic and a manual lock mode and external contacts (for a 9-volt battery) if in case the batteries that are in the lock die out on you. An external forced lock mode prevents unauthorized opening through a mail slot or window. On both the inside and outside of your door, it'll take up about six inches of space. Be careful where you install it since you have to make sure it's not going to get wet from those mauka showers, especially the sidewards rain.

The MyKey 2300 is available for $299.99 at www.thinkgeek.com. Kind of pricey for a lock, but it's worth it if you're the type of person to lock yourself out often. Think of all the money you'll save in the long run. And, I swear, I usually do not lock myself out, this has just been a fluke!

iLingo Languages For Your iPod

I’m one to pick up on foreign languages fairly quickly, especially while I’m traveling. But sometimes it is nice to have a dictionary or a guide to simple words while I’m going around. Since I have my iPod on me just about at all times anyway, it’s the ideal way to quickly access foreign phrases on demand without having to lug around a clunky dictionary.

iLingo (made by Talking Panda) conveniently turns an iPod into an audio phrase book to take you through your overseas travels. It provides common words, phrases, pronunciations and you can see on your iPod’s screen how to write the words and phonetically sound them out.

The program is organized into simple categories such as greetings, shopping and emergency, so when nature calls, you can easily find a bathroom. Other categories include getting directions, dining, making friends and entertainment, just to name a few. Each language translator includes over 400 phrases, and the audio files are recorded by native speakers, so the pronunciations are easy to follow and un-accented. If you don’t catch the phrases right away, you can turn on the repeat feature on your iPod, and it will play the phrase over and over again. Beware of that though, I did that a little while I listened to the Mandarin set, and I felt like I was back in the language lab at UH, but it was a good brush up anyway.

When you install iLingo onto your iPod, you need to pay close attention because it will create a whole bunch of audio files, however you don’t access the program by clicking on the audio files directly. You need to go to your iPod’s main menu and go to “Extras,” then onto “Notes,” after that you will see it. Unfortunately iLingo will not work on an iPod shuffle or any iPod purchased before May 2003 because of the lack of a note reader feature that is required to run it. It is compatible with both Mac OS X (version 10.2 or later) and Windows 2000 or XP. You also need 50 MB of free space on your iPod and iTunes 4.7 or later installed on your computer.

Broaden your horizons with the iLingo AsiaPack 2.0 for $39.95, which includes Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese and Korean. Or, the iLingo EuroPack 2.0 is $49.95 and includes French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian. Check out www.talkingpanda.com to purchase either one. The website also offers a 65-phrase trial version (English-to-Japanese) and a demo you can tinker with if you just want to explore.

Keeping Your CDs and DVDs In Check

Those who have worked with me have seen the way I keep my files. Being the obsessive compulsive way I am, I tell people, “I NEVER write on my file folders!” I always use a label maker to label my files to keep them uniform and organized. I guess that drives some people insane, others have wanted to mimic me and asked to borrow my label maker. To this point, I was also printing out my little labels and using them to label all the CDs and DVDs I would burn. Now I don’t have to do that anymore with Casio’s latest printer.

The Casio CW-L300 is a thermal printer that will print directly on your CDs and DVDs without compromising the integrity of your disk contents. With the printer’s 200 dpi resolution, you can also create tape labels for your files and folders. For your disk printing, you can print up to eight lines and a maximum of 592 entry characters. For your labels, it’s capable of eight lines and a maximum of 225 entry characters.

Although there are other printers (i.e. Epson or Canon) out there that will print directly onto CDs and DVDs, but with the CW-L300, you don’t have to worry about purchasing printable disks. It will print onto any CD or DVD. It’s nice not having to stick individual labels onto each disk I burn! This is a must-have printer for me, and the rest of you who appreciate efficiency and organization. It’s a perfect quick way for titling your CDs and DVDs that have your pictures, videos or backup data without having to turn on your computer. For the business side, it’s also ideal for a professional look with your filing system. The disk printing comes out clean and does not smear.

The CW-L300 features a QWERTY keyboard (most commonly used keyboard layout in English) for stand-alone operation as well as a USB connection for easy hook up to a PC. The PC software includes five fonts, 4,000 characters, and prints in14 different languages.

The Casio CW-L300 package includes an AC adaptor, ink ribbon cassette for disk printing, tape cartridge for label printing, software for your PC, sample CD-R, USB cable, cartridge adaptor and user’s manual in English and Spanish. Casio’s suggested retail price is $199.99, however you can find it on www.amazon.com for about $130.

Get Ready To Rock!

Although I’ve played a multitude of musical instruments growing up, I’ve never actually successfully played a guitar. I’ve tried to play my husband’s guitar, but I can never seem to match up to his Kamehameha Schools quality of musical talents. Well, I found an idiot-proof guitar that I can now play with Guitar Hero, Harmonix’s latest game release.

If you enjoy playing musical instruments, interactive games such as Dance Dance Revolution or Karaoke Revolution or are just a pure Rock n’ Roll fanatic, you will love Guitar Hero. It is an exclusive PlayStation 2 game that gives you the thrill and excitement of being a rock star. No more “air guitar” action as you use the semi-realistic guitar controller to bang out your tunes. You can choose from multiple characters and jam at various concert venues that grow in size as your rock career progresses. You start your career at playing at small clubs and bars. Keep doing well and you’ll work your way up to stadiums and arenas.

The songs in Guitar Hero include 30 of the greatest rock hits ever made including songs made famous by legendary artists such as Ozzy Osbourne, Red Hot Chili Peppers, David Bowie, Boston, Sum 41 or Audioslave. You can choose between four difficulty levels (easy, medium, hard and expert), eight characters that have a unique look and style (metal head to classic rocker), six venues and different two-player modes to give you some multiplayer fun.

The Guitar Hero controller features five multi-color buttons, a responsive strum bar and a working analog whammy bar. With the easy mode, you only have to deal with the leftmost fret buttons. The medium level adds on the fourth fret, and the hard and expert levels will have your fingers flying all over the place. While you’re doing sustained notes, you have to hold down the fret buttons (and this is when you can slap the whammy bar to alter your notes’ tones). If you whammy the star-shaped notes, those will help you build up a power meter, which you can use for a special score-boosting mode.

This all might sound complicated, but if you have the patience, it will probably take you a little under two hours to master it to the point you can play it comfortably. Since you don’t just get thrown into the game, the gradual increase in difficulty makes it manageable for everyone from novice to expert. In addition, Guitar Hero’s graphics look similar to a high school graffiti art style, so it almost psychologically simplifies the game and puts you into that punk rock mindset.

The Guitar Hero bundle comes complete with the Guitar Hero game and guitar controller. It is rated T for Teen and is available for about $70 (multi-player bundle is about $110 and comes with two guitars). Check out www.guitarherogame.com for more information and ordering details. Rock on!

The Marriage Of Apple And Intel

When the rumor first arose that Apple would be putting Intel chips into their computers, I almost did not believe it. So I waited and waited, now they’re here, they’re finally here!

Intel processors were previously only found in PCs, so this is a breakthrough that it they’re now in Apple’s computers. Outputting more using less power, the revolutionary Intel Core Duo chips have two processors built into one chip. It is the first chip built using Intel’s 65-nanometer process, resulting in transistors small enough to fit 100 into a single human cell. This allows the chip to share resources and conserve power between its two processors.

Intel Core Duo has kicked the new iMac up two times faster than the previous iMac and the MacBook Pro laptop four to five times faster than the previous PowerBook. Both additions includes a built-in iSight camera video camera for video conferencing or a video Podcast, iLife ’06 (includes upgraded versions of iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand and the new iWeb program), Front Row/Apple Remote (to control your favorite cool stuff on your computer from across the room), Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) and Mac OS X version 10.4.4 Tiger.

Each new iMac comes standard with a SuperDrive (for burning DVDs and CDs), 512MB of RAM (expandable to 2GB), ATI Radeon X1600 PCI Express-based graphics with 128MB of GDDR3 memory (graphics performance), five USB ports, two FireWire ports, a Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard. The 17-inch version has a 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo processor and a 160GB hard drive ($1,299). The 20-inch version has a 2.0 GHz processor and a 250GB hard drive ($1,699).

The MacBook Pro features a 67% brighter 15-inch display, a lightweight one-inch thin aluminum enclosure and only weighs 5.6 pounds. It debuts Apple’s patent-pending MagSafe magnetic power connector which magnetically couples the power cord to the MacBook Pro. The connector disconnects from the notebook when there is strain on the power cord. All MacBook Pros come standard with a slot-load SuperDrive, PCI Express-based ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 with 256MB GDDR3 memory, a 60-watt hour lithium polymer battery and a scrolling TrackPad to control the mouse and Apple’s Sudden Motion Sensor that is designed to protect the hard drive if in case you drop it. The MacBook with the 1.67GHz processor comes with a 80GB hard drive and 512MB RAM (expandable to 2GB) ($1,999). The one with the 1.83 GHz processor includes a 100GB hard drive and 1GB of RAM (expandable to 2GB) ($2,499).

If you’re in the market for a new computer, I highly recommend one of these. I currently use a PowerBook G4 and I will definitely upgrade soon to the MacBook Pro. Check them out online at www.apple.com or at the Apple Store at Ala Moana Center.

Create Your Own Website With iWeb

I'm fairly savvy as far as building my own webpages, etc. but still impressed when I see excellent design templates that are easy to use. Apple recently announced iWeb, a web creation program that helps you make your own website with almost no hassles. This is perfect if you want your own website but don't know where to start or what to do.

I previously wrote about creating your own website or blog through services such as Blogger, but iWeb is even easier since you don't have to worry about registering and paying for a domain name. iWeb is integrated with .Mac, Apple's web hosting service, so long as you're a subscriber to .Mac, you're set to go.

You can also use iWeb to create, manage and publish your own website or publish a site to a .Mac group. If you want to keep your website private, you can password protect it and only give it out to your select few to ensure privacy. Since Apple hosts everything you publish, there are no configuration hassles to worry about either.

With just a few clicks, and without having to spend a million dollars on a graphic designer, make your own website or blog with Apple's eye-catching templates. Choose the right one for your style or mood, then you edit the placeholder text and use the iLife Media Browser to add in your photos, movies, podcasts and songs. You can tweak the graphics you drag into your template and resize, rotate, layer, etc., similar to what you would do in iPhoto. In addition, you can mix and match templates within a site or create different sites with different themes.

In addition to the handsome web templates to choose from, you can also use Apple's .Mac to host your photos, albums and movies. If you're interested in creating your own podcast, using iWeb's templates is an easy and excellent way to do it in conjunction with GarageBand. iWeb takes care of making an RSS feed out of it and allows you to submit it to the iTunes Music Store where anyone can listen to you and subscribe to your podcast.

iWeb comes as a part of the iLife '06 software package you receive with your new iMac or MacBook Pro. If you're not upgrading to a new Mac anytime soon, iLife '06 sells for $79 and includes iPhoto 6, iMovie HD 6, iDVD 6 and GarageBand 3. In addition, a .Mac account is $99.95 a year, but you can start off with a 60-day free trial. Check out www.apple.com or visit the Apple Store in Ala Moana Center for a test drive. No HTML skills required, I promise.